Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects

These are defined in s14 et seq of the Planning Act 2008 (1). They are large projects concerned with infrustructure such as power generation, railways, ports, roads, waste, water, gas and electricity transmission.

The Government has set out its vision for major investment in the UK's infrastructure in the National Infrastructure Plan 2010 (2).

National Policy Statements (or NPSs)

These documents produced by Government set out the Government's objectives for national significant infrastructure projects. They also contain policies on how particular applications for development consent should be decided. They contain policies for the consideration and conservation of the historic environment that are similar in effect to those contained in mainstream National Planning Policy Framework(3).